Rory, Black Flame, and Logan
by Phoenix Jasmine Lee
Summary: Rogan AU. Rory Gilmore's passion is horses, and one perticular horse: Black Flame. But what happenes when Logan Huntzberger buys the barn she works at and loves? Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Rory Gilmore grew up poor, living in small town Stars Hollow with her mother

Rory Gilmore grew up poor, living in small town Stars Hollow with her mother. But, instead of books, she finds her passion in horses. Only Rory could tame the wild colt Black Flame, at the barn where she works. But when rich boy Logan Huntzberger buys the barn on a whim, her world gets tossed upside down. She tamed one wild colt before; can she do it again?

Chapter one

"Blackie, I swear to God, if you keep up this game of tag I will kill you," Rory mutters under her breath as she tries unsuccessfully to capture the miscreant horse, tortting around his pasture, whinning and having the time of his life.

He looks at her and whinnies in response, trotting to her side, calm as can be, understanding that play time is over.

"Was that so hard?" Rory sighs. Then she leads the spirited colt into the barn.

Thirty minutes later she has him tacked up and warmed up in the ring. She only has twenty minutes before her next class, and she's determined to make the most of it.

But just then her friend Lane walks over to her. "Staff meeting- five minutes," she says.

"But I got to exercise Blackie- and then I have a lesson to teach," Rory protests.

Lane shrugs. "Don't look at me, new management's orders, according to Kirsten." Kirsten is Blackie's snobby owner who likes to think she's better than everyone, even though she can't ride her own horse.

Rory whines out something intelligible but dismounts and leads Blackie over to be untacked.

Ten minutes later, she's sitting obligingly in the office, waiting for the staff meeting to start.

A man she has never seen before walks in. He's about twenty-three years old to her own twenty-one. Gorgeous blonde hair coupled with dark chocolate eyes; the eyes look just like Blackie's. He's easily the best looking guy she's ever seen.

He walks right up to her and shakes her hand, "Hi, I'm Logan Huntzberger, the new owner of the barn."

"Rory Gilmore," she says simply before turning away. Logan Huntzberger. Isn't he the son of the guy who owns all the papers? Can he even ride a horse?

"Hey," he says to the group, "This'll be quick, I promise. I'm just here to tell you that I'm the new owner of the barn. But that doesn't mean things will change. I like this barn the way it is. Just keep doing your jobs, and I'll see you around!"

With that, they all depart, Rory just making her lesson.

It's 9:00 PM. Rory's methodically cleaning bridles in the tack room. All of a sudden she hears footsteps.

Logan walks in to the room, leaning against the doorframe.

"Its past closing," he says softly, "I thought everyone was gone."

"These have to be finished," Rory says brusquely.

"Everyone else left their work undone," he says, still speaking softly.

"I'm not everyone else. This barn is my life," Rory replies before turning back to her bridles. "Why are you still here, anyways?"

He holds up his hard hat. "I was gunna take a quick ride, but I'm not sure which horse to take out. Do you have any reccomendations?"

Rory debates for a minute, then smiles slightly. "Alright, Huntzberger, let's see what you got."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Chapter two

Logan mounts up on old Blue Belle; a sweet old mare who, Rory knows, will give him a good ride. She's still not sure if he actually knows how to ride a horse.

Walk, trot, up to a canter… over the course she has set up… Her mouth drops open. He can ride. And not just ride. He can ride _well._

When he slows to a walk again, she calls, "Not bad. Decent warm up. Now let's get you a real horse."

So she brought out Blackie.

"This is Black Flame, or Blackie," she introduces, "He's… well, he's my baby. Hurt him and I'll kill you."

"Your horse?"

Rory shook her head no. "Kirsten's. But she can't even ride him. Actually, until last summer, only I could ride him, and now only I can make him give his best, but give it a shot."

So Logan mounts up again and starts off at a walk. Within a minute, Blackie gets that gleam in his eyes and Rory knows what's coming.

He bucks.

Logan sits it out.

Again and again, Blackie tries that, but repeatedly fails. Getting frustrated, he works under Logan's commands and moves forward.

He pushes him to a trot. Blackie behaves himself.

And Logan manages to keep himself on for an entire ride- a walk, trot, canter, and even a small jump course- he can do it all.

Rory is sitting slack- jawed with amazement on the mounting block.

She reforms her former opinion; he can do more than ride well- he's amazing. Almost as good as her. Maybe as good.

She claps softly. Though he's trying to hide it, Logan has a big grin on his face- clearly he's pleased to win her approval.

"Very nice," she says softly, grudgingly. His grin widens so much she thinks his face will split in two.

"Don't get too cocky yet, Huntzberger," she says as Logan rides Blackie towards the center of the ring.

He swings off and, after handing Blackie over to Rory, pets the horse's neck. Whispering, "Good boy."

Just like Rory does.

She feels a lump in her throat as she sees Blackie lean into Logan's soft touch, just like he does for her.

But, strangely, having her horse respond to another person doesn't feel bad. It feels good. Like her baby has finally made friends. She's happy for Blackie, she really is; it's just that sharing is going to take some getting used to.

She clears her throat. "He needs to go back in," she says quietly. Logan nods.

He helps Rory untack and bring Blackie out to his pasture. When they get back to the barn, Logan says, "I don't see any cars left in the parking lot. Do you need a ride home?"

Rory shakes her head. "I live in one of the old apartments on the back lot. From, you know when people actually lived on the farm so they could be near the horses, anytime of the day or night."

Logan chuckles for a second.

"What's so funny?" she asks.

He holds up a key, pulling it from his pocket.

"Hello neighbor," he says.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Rory walks out of the lesson ring, yawning. That's because she hasn't gotten much sleep these last two weeks. Every night, she hears thumping coming from the apartment above her- Logan's apartment. And every morning, she sees a different plastic Barbie doll leaving his apartment. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on above her head.

She looks at her watch and realizes that it's nearly five o'clock- she has to go out and run some errands for the barn before her next lesson at six. And while she's out, she better pick up some milk and bread for her apartment. She just needs to get her paycheck first.

So she walks to the barn office- Logan's office now- and opens the door.

And promptly shuts it again.

Walking briskly down the aisle, heading in the direction of the bathroom (what is she thinking? Maybe she wants to wash her eyes out with soap) she runs into Lane.

"Wow, you look like hell," Lane says.

Gee, thanks," Rory says. "And I am very, very scarred. Like you have no idea."

Lane sits Rory down on a tack box. "What happened?"

Rory takes a deep breath. "Well, I needed to go out and buy saddle soap and new leg wraps so I asked Lenny to lend me his truck. So I went to the office, 'cuz I wanted to get my paycheck so I can run my own errands while I was out." Lane nods. "Well, I opened the door to the office and was presented with a picture of Logan and Kirsten going horizontal across his desk. That is something I didn't need to see."

Lane laughs at this. Then she looks deadly serious. "Does he have a good butt?"

Rory stares at her friend in shock. "He… That is so not the point, Lane!" she says. When Lane just looks at her, she sighs. "Yes, he does," Rory admits and Lane squeals.

"You were so checking him out!" she accuses.

Rory looks around. "Hush, you! We don't need people to hear that!"

"Hear what?" the last voice Rory wants to hear right now asks.

She looks up to see Logan walking down the aisle. Apparently his activities of a few minutes earlier haven't slowed him down any. He's neat and clean and not a hair out of place.

Rory blushes and jumps up. "Oh, Logan! I was just about to come and find you. I'm going out to run some errands for the barn and I thought I'd grab my paycheck now so I could do my shopping and…"

"Sure," he cuts her off, "Come with me."

So she follows him back to the office. He handed her a check.

She began to walk out the door but Logan grabbed her arm. "Hey… a few minutes ago, did I hear the door open?"

"Yes," she says shortly.

"Oh," he pauses," So, did you see me and…"

"Yes," she says again.

"Oh," he says, looking at her closely. After a moment, he lets her go.

So, again she tries to leave through the door. Again she's stopped.

Logan grabs her arm and gently steers her towards the wall. He's real close to her.

"Just so you know," he breathes into her face. His breath smells sweet- like apples. "Just so you know, that meant absolutely nothing to me."

Rory walks right out of his loose grip and walks out the door. When she's outside, she turns back. "I couldn't care less what that meant to you," she says, "It's your life. Do with it as you please."

And she walks out of the barn, thinking, _What the hell did he mean in there?_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Rory groans. It's four thirty in the morning. She has another hour an a half to sleep, yet here she is, lying awake in bed. Some idiot is walking through the stairwell, seemingly not noticing how much noise they made.

Rory gets up to give Logan's latest one night stand a piece of her mind. She stumbles across the small apartment. She swings open her door.

To see Kirsten.

"What the hell are you doing here?" blurts Rory. "No, wait- I know why you're here. What the hell are you doing awake so freaking' early?" Kirsten always has been the type of person who strolls into the barn at noon and leaves by four.

Rory cringes, because she never talks to Kirsten that way. She rides Kirsten's horse, and Kirsten can end that at any time. So Rory has always been polite to the woman.

But Kirsten just giggles. "Oh, you know. I have to get home before my boyfriend wakes up and sees that I'm gone."

Rory nearly gags as she slams her door. Ten minutes and four cups of coffee later, she's banging on Logan's apartment door.

A minute later a sleepy- eyed Logan pulled open the door. "Rory?"

"Did you know that Kirsten has a boyfriend? Because if you do, you're a serious ass. I mean, she might've come to you or whatever, but you still shouldn't sleep with a girl in a relationship…"

Logan cuts her off. "No, Rory, I didn't know that. Thank you so much for butting into my personal life. Jesus, Rory, who the hell do you think you are, telling me who I can or can't sleep with? I thought you said yesterday that you didn't freaking care what I did with my life!"

Rory gasps. "You jackass!" she nearly shouts. "Every freaking night, over my head, you and your whores! And, this morning, when I decide to give the nightly whore a piece of my mind for waking me up at four freaking thirty in the morning, I see it's someone I know! So I talk to her, and she tells me she's going home to her boyfriend. Yes, her boyfriend! So I come up here to tell you. Why? Because I knew you were a playboy- the noise every night and the different girls prove that- but I never took you as the guy who would cheat with someone!" Rory finishes her screaming rant and takes a deep breath. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go feed some horses, since I'm up."

And Rory walks away, leaving a surprised looking Logan behind her.

It's only seven thirty in the morning, yet Rory has all her morning chores done. Excited, she grabs a saddle, bridle and girth and heads over to Blackie's stall.

After giving Blackie the most luxurious grooming of his life, she brings him to the ring.

Thirty minutes later, she's aiming Blackie at a cross rail.

"Rory Gilmore, ride my horse over here right now!"

Swearing, Rory swerves to avoid the jump, slows to a walk, and walks to the rail.

"What?" she hisses. She's never in a good mood when she's interrupted while riding, but today, after screaming at Logan at 4:30 in the morning.

Kirsten stands smiling slightly. "Get off my horse."

"What?"

"You heard me," she says, smiling wider.

"But why? I've been riding for you for so long…"

"Well, a certain someone told me you've been blabbing about my personal life. And an employee really shouldn't tell secrets about her boss, should she?"

Rory grimaces. "Fine. The world is full of jackasses today," Rory says.

"What did you say?" Kirsten says, smile sliding right off her face.

"You heard me," Rory mimicked. "You're not my employer anymore, Kirsten. I'm not riding your horse. So I can call you whatever the hell I want."

Rory dismounts, whispers "goodbye," to Blackie, shoves the reins into Kirsten's hands, and storms off.

She marches into the office, where, as she suspected, Logan sat at a desk, going through some paperwork.

"You jackass!" she screams. "Are you happy now? You managed to lose me my horse!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

"Rory," Logan begs softly, "please listen."

"No! _You_ listen! I go out of my way to tell you, a guy who's practically a complete stranger, something I think you deserve to know. Then you throw it in my face and yell at me for messing with your personal life. So I leave. But then you go and tell Kirsten that I told you? Do you know who she was? She was the lady who _owns_ my precious horse. And, yes, I said was, because, now that she thinks I'm sneaking around behind her back, I've been fired!" Rory screams.

"Rory," Logan tries again. Stubbornly, she turns away. "Rory! I'm sorry, okay? But I had to tell Kirsten- you were right earlier. I might be a play boy, but I definitely don't cheat- I've seen my dad do it too many times to think anything good about it.

Rory is taken aback by the personal information he's let slip, but plows on. "So everything you said this morning was total B.S.?"

He shakes his head. "You can't have it both ways. You either care or you don't."

"Fine… I won't care anymore," she says as she leaves the office in a huff.

It's 9:30 PM. Rory is about to cry. She hasn't gone a whole day without seeing Blackie since the feisty colt was born. But today… today was hell.

Silently, she looks around the barn.

Kirsten sauntered out four hours ago.

Lane went home to band practice and her husband at eight.

Lenny left to eat dinner with his wife and three kids and seven.

All the other employees were long gone.

The student barn closed at seven.

Logan is… probably in his apartment, Rory would guess.

It's deserted.

Swiftly, she runs over to Blackie's stall and tacks him up. She flicks the lights on in the ring and mounts up.

It's a beautiful feeling, in Rory's opinion, to be in an empty barn; just you and the horses. It's even more beautiful for it to be just you and your horse, alone, in the ring- it's like magic.

Rory warms up and continues the course she tried to start with Blackie earlier.

As she rides, she can't help but feel elated. She can do this every night. She can ride. No one can stop her.

As she lands off of the last jump, she hears a soft clapping.

She spins to see Logan at the rail.

"You left the lights on," he says simply, in response to her confused look.

She trots over to him.

"You're amazing," he whispers. "I've never seen anyone that good."

"It's the horse," Rory says simply.

Logan chuckles. "Ah, yes, the famous Black Flame. I thought you were banned from him?"

Rory shrugs. "What Kirsten doesn't know won't hurt her."

Logan chuckles some more. "Hey, can we put Blackie away, and then maybe talk a bit, or something?"

But Rory, as stubborn as she is, shakes her head no. "I'm still mad at you."

Logan sighs. "I'm sorry, Rory, okay? Please forgive me?"

She cocks her head to one side, as if pretending to think about it. "Well… maybe. Admit you're an arrogant jackass and then we might be talking."

He smiled a bit. "I'm an arrogant jackass and I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Rory nods. "Let's go then, Huntzberger."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

Rory and Logan are walking under the stars, basking in the moonlight. Without a word, they both agree to head out to the back field.

The sit under the tree, and it doesn't escape anyone's notice how close they are. Their sides are practically brushing. All it would take, for them to move together, is for one of them to want it and just reach out.

They sit comfortably in the silence for a while.

"You're a good rider," Logan says softly, and his words float on the silent air.

"Thanks," Rory says.

"How'd you get so good?"

Rory shrugs. "I started riding when I was twelve. I worked after school hours at the barn so I could take lessons once a week. Then I went up to twice a week. When I wanted three times a week, I had to start teaching to pay for it. So I did. I moved here when I was eighteen because my mom got married to Luke and, well, I didn't exactly want to be there… so not something I need to see," she makes a face.

Logan laughs a little. "How'd you meet Blackie?"

"He was born when I was seventeen. Little black colt, he got up and walked right away. I'm not kidding. I've seen a dozen horses born, and not one gets up that fast. He was… well, Blackie from the start. And, right then, I knew he was mine. So I tamed him, I trained him… he's my baby."

"And still wild," Logan points out.

"I wouldn't want it any other way," she smiles, lost in her memories. Then she comes back to reality. So, tell me, Huntzberger, you're not to bad yourself. How'd you get so good?"

He groans. "First off; don't call me Huntzberger, that's more my dad." Rory nods.

"My sister. That's how I got so good. When I was seven, she took me to visit her pony and sat me on it. Her name was Freckles. Cute old girl. And I knew I loved horses."

Rory shakes her head. "You had your own pony?" she asks incredulously. Having grown up with very limited money, it's hard for her to grasp.

"No, my sister had her own pony. I had a pony, then I got a few horses over the year, and my cousin Jack owns a stable or race horses."

Rory shakes her head again. "My god. You have money coming out of your ears."

Logan laughs.

They sit quietly for a few minutes more.

"I want you to care," Logan says quietly.

"Huh?" Rory asks, confused.

"I want you to care," he repeats. "Every time I've asked you if you cared at all about me, you say no. Why do you keep saying no?"

"Because," Rory tries to explain. "You're my neighbor, my boss… not my friend…"

"We could be friends," he says softly. Friends, his ass. He's thinking something else, something more. But he gets that she won't do that, not now, especially when he has all his other girls.

"We could," she agrees softly, blush tingeing her cheeks.

"I just want you to care," he says again.


	7. Chapter 7

Note:

Note:

Hey, ya'll!

I just wanna say, thanks so much for your reviews. They're great.

Now, I have a pretty good idea of the course this story will follow, but there's always room for changes. So, if you have an idea, you can definitely just tell me.

Oh, and another thing; I've been trying to keep the horse terminology simple, but I tend to slip up sometimes. (Ask my friends. They'll all tell you I'm crazy and like to spout random horse talk upon occasion.) If you don't know what I'm talking about, tell me, and I promise I'll clarify it.

Oh, yeah; I'll try to keep up the every day posting thing, but I make no promises. As great as my geometry teacher is, he's trying to kill me with an insane homework load, as is my English teacher.

So, I think that's it.

Thanks, you guys rock!

Chapter seven

"Damnit," Rory mumbles under her breath as she tries to reach the saddle that needs to be washed on the top rack. She jumps and stretches, but no luck.

"I'll get it for you," a guy's voice says behind her.

She turns around and smiles. "Thanks, Logan."

He reaches up to pull down the saddle. As he does, his shirt rides up a bit, giving Rory a peek at his truly amazing abs. The kind that makes her eyes bug a little bit and leave her breathless.

He hands her the saddle, and, as he does, much to Rory's disappointment, his shirt slides back into place.

"Thanks," she says with a smile.

But he doesn't let go. "You do know it's almost closing, right? And you're done for the day?" At Rory's nod, he continues. "And it's dinner time?" Another nod. "Want to go out tonight?"

Rory laughs. She laughs and laughs until she feels ready to wet her pants. When she finally manages to stop laughing, she chokes out, "What? None of your other girls would go out with you tonight?"

"Hey," Logan says defensively. "I didn't ask them; I asked you." He wonders what she's saying. Surely she's noticed; since their argument, since the whole Kirsten thing, there have been no other girls. Because Rory had complained about them. So, now they're gone, and Logan was so sure she would've noticed.

"Actually, I've noticed you haven't been bringing them home anymore. You staying at their places now, afraid I'll yell at you again or something?"

"uhm… yeah… something like that," Logan stutters. "So, seriously, would you come and have some dinner with me? I'm starving."

Rory smiles. "A Gilmore Girl never turns down food."

"Great," he says as he puts the saddle back on the rack and leads her out of the barn.

Twenty minutes later, they're sitting in a back booth at a little local restaurant. Rory has a feeling that Logan paid extra for them to be seated so far from everyone else, but she can't be sure.

They eat their food slowly, talking and laughing the whole time. Rory tells him stories of her child, making him laugh so much his sides hurt.

"I'm sorry, I've been hogging the conversation. Besides the horses, what was your childhood like?"

Logan stops laughing almost immediately and puts down his drink. "Uh-uh. Go back to what you were talking about."

"C'mon, Logan, I've been talking all night."

"I hated my childhood," he says abruptly. "My mother was always checked into some spa or whatever or organizing parties. My dad, when he wasn't working, was sleeping around, completely ignoring my sister and me. I was stuck at boarding school, getting kicked out of one after another, for my entire life."

"Oh," Rory says, and that's all she can say.

Logan smiles slightly, "Hey, don't worry about it. So, you want some coffee?"

Rory laughs. "A Gilmore never turns down coffee."

They walk into the apartment block together, heading up the stairs. They bid good bye at Rory's front door.

"See ya tomorrow, Ror," He says as he walks upstairs.

Rory opens her front door to be met by wet feet.

"Crap," is all she says before heading upstairs.

Logan opens his front door to a pissed looking Rory. "What did I do this time?" he asks with a sigh.

"Not you," she groans. "My apartment is under six inches of water. I think the pipe burst."

Logan gets up and gets the phone. "I'll call someone to fix it."

"Logan, it's after midnight. No one is going to answer, much less come and fix a pipe. I was just wondering, if I could have the key to the apartment across the hall from me, I could spend the night there…"

"Don't be an idiot. There's no furniture there. You can spend the night here." When Rory opens her mouth to object, he just looks at her and says, "Don't you dare."

So Rory shuts up.

Logan changes the sheets on his bed, hands her old sweats and an old t-shirt, directs her to the bathroom and gives her an extra toothbrush.

As she climbs into his bed, he begins to walk over to his couch. "Thanks," she whispers.

"Friends, remember?" he says, smiling. "Friends care."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight

Rory smiles when she wakes up the next morning.

A gorgeous blonde boy walks over to see her, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Good morning, beautiful," Logan says, smiling.

"Good morning, babe," she replies, resting her hand on his bare chest, reaching up kiss him. He's only too happy to oblige, and within moments they have a full-fledged make out session going.

Logan brushes his left fingers against her jaw, and she feels something cold and metallic on his finger.

She opens her eyes a slit and discreetly looks down at her left hand. Sure enough, there are two rings sitting on her third finger.

As discreet as she is trying to be, Logan chuckles and breaks the kiss.

"Rory, are you still staring at your wedding ring?" he teases.

_Your wedding ring._

Rory sits bolt upright in bed, something she thought only happened in overdramatized movies, but apparently not. It takes her a minute to realize what's going on; she's in Logan's bed, and Logan is on the couch. She's only in his apartment at all because the pipe broke in hers. They aren't married; they're just friends.

She's breathing heavily. She's freaked out. That dream came out of nowhere. What the hell was that all about?

"Rory?" she hears Logan mumble sleepily, and, a second later, he gets off the couch and sits on the edge of her bed. "Wassamatter?"

"Oh, Logan, I'm sorry, did I wake you up…" she mumbles, blush coloring her face.

"Not a problem, Ror. What happened?"

"I just had… a weird dream," she explains ambiguously.

"Oh, yeah?" he asks, taking her hand gently in his own. "What kind of weird dream?"

"It was… nothing," she says, trying to close the subject but failing miserably.

"C'mon, tell me," Logan wheedles. He begs and pleads every time she shakes her head for five full minutes before she finally throws her hands up in frustration.

"Fine. I dreamt that you and I were married, okay?" she says, turning away so he can't see the blush coming back and coming back strong.

"Well, that's certainly not happening," Logan says bluntly. Sure as hell it wasn't. Because she wouldn't let him. He wasn't saying he wanted to marry her. Just be with her, date her, maybe even commit and call her his girlfriend. But she's obviously not interested. I mean, _I want to be friends, _practically means, as everyone knows, _I wanna be with you._ And she was definitely more into the friends than anything else.

Rory's face falls before she can recover. Of course he didn't want to be together. Logan is more the screw and run type of guy and she is, well, not. And he makes it very clear that all he wants is friendship.

Logan sees Rory's face fall and wonders what it's about. "Alright," she says gruffly, "I'm going back to sleep. Sorry I woke you."

And, within a minute, Rory drifts off to sleep, and Logan, exhausted, follows suit, lying in the bed with Rory in his arms.

Rory wakes up for real the next morning, feeling a strange sensation. She knows immediately where she is. But why does she feel arms around her?

She gently shifts in said arms so she can get a view of whoever's holding her.

"Logan?" she whispers, while touching his shoulder to wake him up.

He blinks open his eyes and the first thing Rory notices is how good he looks, even with more bed head than usual and eyelids drooping in sleep.

"Rory?" he murmurs sleepily.

She nods, unable to speak. What is going on here?

Logan knew perfectly well what is going on there.

_Logan sits on the tiny and uncomfortable plastic hospitable chair, but all of that is forgotten as soon as the nurse lays the tiny pink blanketed bundle in his arms. _

_"Laura," he coos softly, whispering so as not to disturb the sleeping newborn. He rocks her gently, admiring her little nose (his) the lips (hers) the light dusting of hair (definitely his) and the sparkling bright blue eyes (without a doubt hers.)_

_"Let me see her," the girl lying in the hospital bed demands. "Let me see our daughter."_

_Logan obliges, handing Lorelai "Laura" Elizabeth Huntzberger the fourth to Rory._

Logan wasn't saying, oh, God, no, he wouldn't say that anytime soon, that he wants the two of them to have kids together. But it was a happy dream and the idea, well, the idea didn't totally freak him out.

"I had a dream, to," he whispers, trying to clue her into what is going on. "And mine was better."

Rory cocks her head to one side, still not understanding.

Logan once heard somewhere that there is a reason the expression is "Show & tell," and not the other way around.

So he decides to show her.

Leaning in the last few inches, he kisses her softly and very gently.


	9. Chapter 9

Note:

Note:

L: Yes, Rory likes horses. I'm aware she hates animals in the series. In fact, I believe a pony died while she was riding it when she was a little kid. But this is AU. That means I can do whatever the hell I want to it, because it's my reality. I am God in this universe, in a manner of speaking. So, yes, horses. Though I will look into the organic Brussels sprout growing…

And, everyone else thanks so much. You guys rock, and keep reading!

Chapter Nine

Practically right after he starts the kiss, he ends it. Let her decide what she wants.

He doesn't even get an inch away before she leans in again and kisses him.

And it's a great kiss. That's the first thing Logan thinks. Who knew a girl who looks like such a virgin could kiss so well? It's a great kiss. Logan gently parts her lips with the tip of his tongue and pulls her body flush against his.

He's a great kisser. Rory had already guessed that, but now the fact was painfully obvious, like a neon sign. She hasn't really kissed that many other guys. Dean, Tristan, Jess… and none of them were nearly as good a kisser.

They broke this kiss, but only drifted a few inches a part.

"What was that?" Rory demands on a whisper.

Logan smirks, "Well, Ror, that was a kiss. Haven't you ever been kissed before?"

She ignores the jibe. "I know _what_ it was. I was wondering _why_ it was."

He runs his fingers along the underside of her jaw. She shivers, and he inwardly smirks at getting the reaction he was after.

"_That_ was because you are Rory Gilmore, the most amazing girl in the world, and I've wanted to do that since you were so rude on my first day here."

"I wasn't rude," she protests.

"Yes, you were," he laughs quietly. "I was trying to be all polite, and what do I get? A 'Rory Gilmore' and then you turned away. You didn't even say hi, nice to meet you, or anything!"

"I was mad," Rory protests, "The stupid staff meeting interrupted my workout with Blackie."

"So you took out your frustration on the new kid?" he chuckles. "I know how you can make it up to me."

"Oh, yeah?" Rory asks, sliding a bit closer to him. He moans very softly, so softly that Rory can barely hear it, when her toes touch his leg. Such a weird gesture, yet, somehow, it begins to drive him crazy. He likes the feeling of her cold toes against his warm flesh. It feels good. And it feels more connected to her than just a hug or a kiss.

He tilts his head and kisses her again, wrapping her back up in his arms.

Rory's in her fourth lesson of the day, her mind drifting endlessly. She's having trouble focusing.

"Jenny, heels down," she calls, then goes back to daydreaming.

Logan. Beautiful Logan. Gorgeous Logan. Sweet Logan. Kind Logan. Logan.

She's so distracted that she honestly can't tell you a thing about her student.

Lane walks into the ring and sits on the brick wall jump next to Rory.

"Whatcha thinking about?" she asks.

"Nothing," Rory lies.

"Yes, you are," Lane accuses, "I know you. You're thinking of something."

Before Lane can continue her interrogation, Logan walks into the ring. "Rory," he calls from the other end, "I have some new about your apartment. Can you come with me?"

Normally, Rory would say no. She wouldn't leave a lesson just to talk to her boss.

"Sure," she says. "Lane, can you take over my lesson for me?"

Lane rolls her eyes. "I knew you were thinking about _something,"_ she whispers, nodding at Logan as Rory blushes. "And sure."

So Rory walks over to Logan. "So, I got someone who can fix the pipe. He says it'll take two days to fix and then, of course, you'll have to dry out what you can and replace what you can't." Rory's face falls at this; she can't afford to replace any of her stuff. "Of course," Logan is quick to add, "I'll be paying to replace anything that needs to be replaced, because it's my apartment block and my pipe so therefore my fault. And don't you dare argue that; I can afford it, trust me."

Rory nods. "There's something else I want to show you," he says softly. "Care to join me in my office?"

When they walk into the office, Logan shuts and locks the door.

Then he walks really close to Rory.

"Hey," he whispers before kissing her.

Rory kisses him back for a moment before breaking it and stepping out of his arms.

"We need to talk," she says.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

"What about?" Logan nervously asks. He doesn't usually get that from girls, and it's scaring him.

"About this," she says. "Logan, what is _this_?"

He resorts to his earlier jibe. "Well, Ror, as I explained to you earlier, that was a kiss…"

Again she ignores him. "What are _we?_ Am I your girlfriend? Or am I just one of your girls? 'Cuz, let me tell you, I do _not_ share well, and I can definitely not handle sharing you with dozens of other girls."

"Rory," Logan says gently. "Rory, there are no other girls. There haven't been since Kirsten. I haven't been going to their places; I've been at home, _alone_, every night."

She seems stunned. "No others? Only me? What's that mean?"

"It means that I don't want any of the others," he says. "I only want you."

Rory notices how uncomfortable he looks and says, "Okay, talk over, I swear."

He smiles a little and says, "You should go back to your lesson."

"I should," she agrees. "But I don't want to," she says as she steps back into his arms and gives him a sweet kiss.

At nine thirty, she knocks quietly on Logan's door. He opens it and kisses her, steering her inside.

They break apart and he says, "I need to get you a key."

"No, you don't," she argues, "I'm only going to be here another day."

"You should have one," he says, and, after walking over to the small kitchen, drops one in her hand.

She slides it into her pocket. "Thanks," she whispers as she leans in to kiss him again.

Before they know it, they're heading towards the bedroom. Logan kicks the door shut behind them, and they both fall into the bed.

It's six thirty the next morning.

Ring, ring, ring…

Logan groans and rolls over, the details of last night coming back to him. He smirks. It was a good night. No- it was a great night.

Ring, ring, ring…

Logan groans again. The sound is coming from Rory's jeans, which are lying on his bedroom floor.

He shifts the sleeping girl out of his arms and picks up her cell phone.

"Hello," he says.

"Who's this?" a sharp feminine voice says.

"Logan Huntzberger, ma'am," Logan says. "And who's this?"

"Hello, Logan, it's Emily Gilmore. Now, why are you answering my granddaughter's cell phone?"

"Oh, hello Emily," Logan says, laying on the charm, because this is going to be hard to talk his way out of. "I'm answering Rory's phone because she left it in her jacket in the office today," he lies blatantly. "Because I own her barn, you know. Anyways, I can go find her if you'd like to speak to her."

"Please do, Logan," Emily says, sounding placated by his story.

"Rory," Logan hisses, waking her up. "It's your grandma." Rory blushes, pulling the blankets farther over herself. "I told her we're at the barn. Talk to her."

Rory takes the phone. "Hello grandma," she says.

"Hello, Rory," a pause, "You didn't tell me you know Logan."

"Oh, yeah, well, he's my boss and my landlord and my friend," Rory tries to explain without using the word _boyfriend_.

"Well, that's nice," Emily says, "I'm just calling to ask youif, after your visit to Stars Hollow tomorrow, if you'd stop by here for dinner?"

"Uh, sure grandma."

"Wonderful, and bring Logan," she says before hanging up.

"Hey," Rory says to Logan, as soon as she puts her phone away. "If I give you round two, will you go to my grandparents house for dinner tomorrow night? And Stars Hollow with me tomorrow?"

Logan groans. "This better be some damn good sex," he says.


	11. Chapter 11

Note: Alright, thanks for everyone support. You guys are seriously the best.

Chapter eleven

"Are you sure they'll be able to handle the barn without us?" Rory asks for the umpteenth time.

Logan sighs. "For the last time, relax. They'll be able to handle it without us. Now, just relax, and enjoy your weekend off."

Rory snorts. You are aware that you just told me to enjoy a day that will conclude in the Gilmore mansion of horrors?"

Logan chuckles. "Rory, have you ever seen my parents place?" when she shakes her head, he says, "That's a mansion of horrors. Your grandparents- I've been there before. No sweat."

Rory laughs, unable to picture her grandparents' house as no big deal. She likes them fine… it's just, the elder Gilmores can be hard to handle.

"Besides, you have to spend the day in Stars Hollow," she teases.

"I thought you liked Stars Hollow."

"_I _do. But outsiders tend to find it a bit… strange. Oh, watch out for Miss Patty. And Babette. And Kirk. And don't piss off Luke. Or Michelle."

Logan shakes his head, listening to her ramble about her strange town.

Pretty soon they drive past a sign that says, "WELCOME TO STARS HOLLOW."

"Oh, my God," Logan mutters. "Small town. Wicked small town."

Rory smirks.

"Rory!" Lorelai yells as Logan pulls up in his Porsche.

"Mom!" she says, not waiting for Logan to stop the car before jumping out and hugging her mother.

Logan shook his head. He actually stops the car and gets out.

"Hi," Lorelai says. "You must be Logan, the guy who works at the barn and was a total jackass but isn't anymore and is an amazing kisser."

"Mom!" Rory says, embarrassed.

Logan laughs softly. "You told your mother about us?"

Rory blushes some more. "Well, we tell each other everything." She turns on Lorelai, "Why'd you repeat that?"

"Just trying to make sure I'm talking about the right Logan," Lorelai says cheerily. "Now, come on, move along, we have lots left to see."

"Luuuke!" Lorelai shouts. "Seven cups of coffee, right away."

"Lorelai! Sit down and wait like everyone else!" Luke shouts at her.

Lorelai pouts at her husband, but takes a seat.

"Seven cups?" Logan whispers to Rory.

"Duh," she says, "three for mom and me and one for you."

Logan nods as if he understands his crazy Gilmore girl.

Luke brings over the coffee, muttering how this is going to kill his wife and step daughter and- who the hell is this new guy?

With his usual tact, he asks, "Who are you?"

"Luke," Rory says, "This is my boyfriend, Logan. He owns my barn."

Luke grumbles something and walks away.

Rory notices that Logan has visibly paled. "It's alright," she whispers, "Luke seems scary to outsiders, but he's really just a big softy."

Lorelai notices to. "Hey, kid, don't freak out yet. You still have the entire day in the town of crazy and the entire evening in the house of hell."

"Speaking of the house of hell, Mom," Rory says. "You're coming to dinner tonight."

"What? No! No! No! You can't make me!" Lorelai complains, but Rory just grins evilly.

"Luke walks over, "Are you ready to order?"

"Yeah, I am," Lorelai says. "I'm ordering you to go to dinner at my parents tonight."

"This should be interesting," Rory mutters to Logan.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve

Logan is finding the craziness of Stars Hollow… well, crazy. First there's Kirk.

As soon as they leave Luke's, a strange guy runs up to Lorelai and Rory. "Did you kill my mother?" he demands.

"No, Kirk," they say simultaneously.

"Because I think someone did," he explains, "Either that, or we were playing hide-and-seek and I forgot…" and he walks off.

"Who _was_ that?" Logan asks.

"Kirk," both girls say, and offer no other explanation.

Then there's Patty.

Soon after Kirk runs off, they run into a rather large woman. She immediately starts looking Logan up and down.

"My, my…" she muses. "You could be number eight."

"Patty," Rory reprimands.

"Patty shrugs and saunters off, still shooting glances at Logan over her shoulder.

"Number eight?" Logan asks, not sure if he wants to know the answer.

"Husband number eight."

Then they made it to the Dragonfly Inn, which Logan gathers that Lorelai owns and works at.

"Lorelai!" barks a rather loud Frenchman, standing behind a desk. "You were supposed to be here three hours ago to meet the hikers!"

"Whoops, sorry, Michelle- I must've forgotten. Hope it wasn't too much trouble."

Then Lorelai leads the group into the kitchen.

"Rory!" a red headed woman yells as she runs for her.

"Sookie!" Rory says as she hugs the woman.

"Hi," Sookie says, wringing Logan's hand. "I'm Sookie. You must be Logan."

"I am."

"Logan," Rory says, "Sookie here is the world's greatest chef."

Sookie giggles and claps her hands. "Oh! I know! I'll make you guys something to eat!"

Logan and Rory both start to say how that's really not necessary, but Sookie cuts them off, pushing them out of the kitchen so she can get to work.

After they eat Sookie's fabulous concoctions, Rory glances at Logan's watch.

"Crap!" she says.

"What?" Logan asks, concerned.

"We have an hour till we have to be at Grandma's and Grandpa's!" she exclaims.

So they say goodbye to Sookie and rush home.

"Wow, Ror, you look amazing," Logan says as she walks out of her childhood bedroom. All he's ever seen her in is jeans and a t-shirt, or less. But the simple dress makes her look truly amazing.

Lorelai and Luke walk into the kitchen, Luke grumbling about going tonight.

"Everyone ready for the car ride to hell?" Lorelai asks with mock cheer.

A little while, the four stand outside the Gilmore mansion, everyone afraid to ring the bell.

Rory leans into Logan. "Welcome to the ninth circle of hell," she whispers.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Ding, dong…

The intimidating door swings open to reveal a tall and intimidating maid. Logan can swear he hears Luke gulp and Lorelai cackle maniacally. Hey, no sweat, right? Just another society function.

The maid, without a single word, leads them into the sitting room. Emily pops up from her seat, like a child's wind-up toy.

"Logan! Rory!" she nearly shouts, "So good to see you both."

"Hi, Mom," Lorelai says.

"Hello Lorelai," Emily sniffs disdainfully. "And Luke. Hello."

Lorelai and Rory simultaneously roll their eyes. Logan decides to ignore them both for the moment.

"Hello, Emily, it's good to see you too," he says, laying on the charm once again. While he didn't envision it happening anytime soon, if she discovered that he's sleeping with her granddaughter, he at least wants her to have a favorable impression of him.

Just then Richard walks in. "Ah! Logan! Good to see you, son. Would you like a drink?"

"Scotch neat, please," Logan requests.

"Certainly. Rory?"

"Club soda, please."

"Absolutely." And he goes off to make drinks.

"Yes, Dad, of course I'd like a martini, and Luke wants a beer," Lorelai says.

"Oh! Lorelai… I didn't see you there."

"Yep. That's me. People always tell me that I'm barely noticeable."

Rory sniggers and Luke pretends to couch to cover a laugh.

So drinks proceed with Richard and Emily trading off between insulting Luke and Lorelai (They'd never been too pleased about that marriage) viciously asking questions with heavy hints to Logan, or bugging Rory to come around more.

And then the same discussion proceeds to the dinner table. Logan, do you like Cape Cod? Logan, do you like kids? Logan, where do you want to live? Every question is laced with heavy hints about what exactly the two elder Gilmores want for the future. Every question is freaking Logan out more and more.

At one point, Luke leans over and whispers, "I did this five years ago. It's finally your turn."

Logan chuckles quietly to himself, trying to hide his fear. But Luke is right. So _this_ is what you get when you go home with your girlfriend…

"Goodbye! Don't be strangers!" Richard and Emily call as the four leave the house.

Logan leans against his car, almost like he'll fall if he doesn't. Rory walks over and puts her arms around him, Lorelai and Luke following behind.

"Rory," Logan says softly. "Your grandparents scare me."

The other three laugh at this.

"You said it would be a piece of cake," Rory accuses.

"They were freaking harassing us!" he protests, to Lorelai's amusement.

"Of course, babe, of course…" Rory says softly.

"Mom, can I borrow the tongue depressors?"

"Do I want to know?" Logan asks.

"Trust me they'll help. Mom has this whole thing worked out, and we'll need them to keep you from swallowing your tongue."

Logan thinks she's kidding. She can't be serious- this is just a joke, right?

Lorelai hands over a pack of tongue depressors.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

There's not a more romantic spot than a horse pasture.

Two people, covered in dirt, standing in a grassy field at midnight with their favorite horse only a few feet away.

Nothing better.

Not at some fancy party, half drunk, wearing clothes that no one properly fits into, inside a too large yet confining house, with people you hate only feet away.

There's nothing worse than that.

Rory and Logan just finished another secret midnight ride. They made it home from her grandparents, and, truthfully, Rory is worried about what's going on in his head. Did they freak him out? Will he bolt?

They're leaning against the pasture, covered in dirt and sweat, bathing in the star's light and watching Blackie watch them.

Blackie's chocolate caramel eyes are staring right into Logan's identical eyes. _What you gunna do, Huntzberger? Huh? Huh?_

He takes a deep breath.

He wraps his arms around Rory, pulling her body closer to his.

He bends his head, pressing his lips firmly against his ear. He feels her shiver, and just then he knows he's getting lucky tonight.

But that's not important now.

"Rory," he whispers, "I love you."

She pulls back a little and smiles. "I thought you were going to bolt."

"Huh?"

"Tonight. After the dinner. My grandparents freaked you out. My crazy town freaked you out. You don't have girlfriends, Logan. You don't do the whole thing where they have a life outside of sleeping with you. I was worried you couldn't handle today. I was worried you were gonna leave."

"I'm here, Ror," he says, kissing her hair, "Always here."

Just then, he looks over at Blackie's eyes again.

Blackie nods his head, as if giving Logan his approval.

But it doesn't escape Logan's notice that she hasn't said anything back yet.

Softly, slowly, she pushes her lips against his.

"I love you," she whispers after the kiss. "I love that you can sit a ride on my crazy horse. I love how you just smirked and almost said '_dirty_' when I said '_sit a ride._' I love how I can read your mind like that to know what you were about to say. I love how you know exactly how to treat my horse. I love how you knew exactly what to do to make me like you, even when I hated you. I love how you know that saying 'I love you' in a horse pasture is the most romantic thing ever. I love you."

She kisses him again.

A minute later, when oxygen becomes a problem, they break apart, foreheads resting together.

"You think you know love, Huntzberger?" Rory taunts softly, breathless. "Well you don't. And I'm going to teach you."

"Is that a threat, or a promise?" Logan asks with a small smile.

She kisses him again.

"Consider it an invitation."

Hours later, they're lying in Logan's bed, holding each other. Rory's tracing patterns into Logan's hand, and he's gently kissing her bare shoulder.

"You should move in here," Logan says softly.

"What?" Rory says.

Logan knows she heard him just fine, but he repeats himself anyways. "You should move in here."

"Logan… that's kinda a major step, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah, but think about it, Ror. We love each other. Honestly, how many nights do you think we'd spend in separate apartments? Plus, this way, you don't have to buy all new stuff."

"Oh, so this is just to get out of buying me new stuff?" she teases.

"I'll buy you whatever you want, and you can put it in this place," he promises. "But I was just saying, you don't have to buy a new bed and stuff. Besides, you really seem to like my bed…" he smirks. She playfully smacks his arm.

"Well, as long as you still take me shopping…:" she pouts, causing him to laugh.

"Is that a yes?"

"That's a yes."


	15. Chapter 15

Note: halfadash, you are so right. I noticed that too. I was typing 14, and I'm like, "wow, this is easy." And, again you're right; I do love the barn and know it like most people know their own homes. I know high society really well, too, but I hate it. And I've been to a billion small towns, but I don't know them well enough to write them. I promise to stick to the horse stuff .

Hey, just a quick note. I'm sorry, guys, but I have a friend who's camping out here for the weekend and relatives coming from England and all that jazz. So that means there's probably nothing more till Monday, but maybe a post Sunday. Sorry!

Chapter fifteen

"Coffee," Rory mumbles.

"Huh?" Logan mutters, woken up by Rory mumbling to him.

"Alarm. Buzz," Rory says, apparently unable to complete her sentences. "Coffee. Now."

Logan sat up. "Alright, alright."

A few minutes later, he walks back into their bedroom with coffee to find Rory sleeping again.

"Shoot," he mumbles as he puts the coffee on the nightstand next to her head.

"Rory? Rory, c'mon, wake up," he pleads.

"No… too tired."

"That's not my fault," Logan smirks.

"_You_ were the one who woke up at three and decided that you didn't want to sleep," she points out.

"I have coffee," he wheedles.

She sits up. "Gimme."

He laughs as she slurps it up. "Tell me. It's _your_ alarm, not mine that goes off at six thirty. Why do _I_ have to get out of bed to get your coffee?"

She smiles happily, coffee finally hitting her bloodstream. "Because you invited me to live here, and that means putting up with me every morning."

Logan groans. "What was I high on when I suggested that?"

"You were high on _looooove_," Rory mocks.

Logan sighs. "That didn't sound strange or anything."

"But it's true," she retorts. Then she gets out of bed and starts digging for her jeans and a t-shirt.

In less than ten minutes, she's dressed and ready to go out, with three more cups of coffee slowly working their way through her system.

Logan, stands, dumbfounded. Rory stands by the door, waiting like an impatient child.

Logan sighs and opens the door, the two of them heading down to the horses.

It's nearing 9:00 PM. Rory is just finishing up her chores when an unwelcome face struts down the isle towards her.

"Kirsten…" Rory mutters. _What on earth is she up to?_

"Hey… So, not only did you get Logan to dump me, but now you're his new whore?" Kirsten says, pleasantly.

"I'm not his whore," Rory protests, shocked and disgusted.

"Are you sleeping with him?"

"That's none of your business."

"So, yeah, you are. Then you're his whore."

"I'm his girlfriend!"

"Uh-huh. Rory, that's _Logan Huntzberger_. Every girl under thirty is his girlfriend." Kirsten grins a bit, smiling at Rory, who looks so upset. "Face it, Rory, he won't be able to stick to you. He's gonna dump you, and dump you hard."

Kirsten marches down the isle, and, a minute later, Rory hears her car start as she leaves.

Rory cries softly. She doesn't believe Logan will dump her like that. But all her fears and insecurities, just thrown around by Kirsten, has freaked her out and upset her.

Before she knows what she's doing, she has Blackie tacked up and in the ring. He knows something's wrong with his best girl, but she pushes him forward.

She mounts up and pushes Blackie up to a canter, not bothering with a warm up.

She hears footsteps walking in the barn, and instinctively knows it's Logan come to find her.

She pushes Blackie faster.

And then is thrown from his back, tears blinding her eyes, tumbling through the air, to land in the dirt in a heap, unconscious.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen

Logan doesn't even hesitate. It doesn't take fifteen seconds for him to vault the fence and run to Rory's side.

But, in that short of a time, Black Flame has stopped and ran to Rory's side, protecting her.

He stands his ground, but backs down as soon as Logan gets close, as if deeming him worthy.

"Rory, Rory, oh, God, please…"

He checks her pulse. It's soft, but he can feel the gentle push of her veins.

He pulls out his cell phone.  
9-1-1. Fifteen minute response time. Maximum.

He kneels in the dirt, not daring to touch Rory. He looks at the girl at his feet, broken and sad. He can see tear tracks along her face. His blood boils. Who made her cry? Is that why she fell?

Blackie pushes his nose into Logan's back. Logan sighs and stands up. He quickly pulls off Blackie's tack and hangs it over the rail. "You can stay in the ring tonight." Blackie bobs his elegant head and takes up his vigil at Rory's side once again.

Logan follows Blackie's lead.

Fifteen minutes later, two men with a stretcher rush into the barn. Logan lets them into the barn and stands just out of the way as they load Rory up.

They leave, leaving Logan to follow in his car.

He dials a number that Rory gave him in case of emergencies. "Lorelai…"

"Logan?"

"Rory's in an ambulance."

"What? What's wrong? Where is she?"

"She fell off Blackie and is unconscious. I don't know what's happening. I'm heading to Hartford memorial…"

"I'll be there soon."

Lorelai rushes into the waiting room, seeing Logan sitting in an uncomfortable hospital chair.

"Where is she?" Lorelai asks.

Logan gestures down the hall. "She's in there. They won't let me in or tell me anything."

"Follow me."

As all men do for Lorelai, Logan jumps up and does immediately as she says.

"Hi," she says sweetly to the nurse at the desk. "I'm Lorelai Gilmore. I'm looking for my daughter Rory."

"Right down this hallway. The doctor is in there now," she gestures to Logan, "He has to stay out here."

"Listen, lady, this guy is the one who found my daughter. He's coming in with me."

Before any more protest, Logan and Lorelai slip past the nurse and down the hallway.

"She has a broken leg and a broken rib and scrapes and bruises along her back. All in all, she's very lucky," the doctor explains to Logan and Lorelai.

"Thank you," they say and the doctor leaves.

"Why isn't she awake?" Logan asks, frustrated.

Lorelai puts her hands on Logan's shoulder. "She'll be awake. She'll be awake soon."

Logan nods.

Lorelai and Logan sit quietly for a few minutes. "I'm going to get some coffee. Would you like some?"

Logan nods. Lorelai leaves.

"C'mon, Rory," he whispers. "Wake up. You got to wake up. You gotta wake up so you can tell me who did this to you so I can kill them. Wake up."

Lorelai comes back, but stands in the doorway. She's listening to Logan talk to Rory. They're cute together. He cares about her. She's happy.

She walks in as soon as he's done talking. "Hey- here's your coffee."

Logan sips his coffee, almost hoping that Rory will wake up to the smell, like she does every other day.

It's later that night.

Lorelai has gone to Logan's apartment with Logan's key to pick up some stuff for Rory.

Logan sat by her bedside. He wasn't supposed to be in there. A nurse had tried to kick him out four hours ago, but she'd never come back to make sure he was gone.

He holds Rory's hand. He's looking at the closed eyes, what should be vivid baby blues just pale skin.

Suddenly, the blue oceans are back.

"Hey," she whispers.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter seventeen

"You're awake," Logan says, falling back in his chair. He feels tears of joy and happiness and relief run down his face.

"What happened?" she asks, confused.

"I don't know anything more than that you fell off Blackie. You'll have to tell me." Her face has a look of understanding. "Later. Now, I have to go find a doctor."

Rory sat, motionless, on her bed. The doctor had checked her out half an hour ago. She could go home tomorrow. But no horses- not for three months.

Now her mind replayed Logan's question.

_What happened?_

Rory swallows. What did happen? Kirsten was a jerk. She remembers that. She took Blackie out. And then… she fell.

"Kirsten…" she whispers, following the name with the story of the night.

Logan looks ready to kill.

"I'll kill her," he promises.

"No, you won't," Rory says sharply.

"Do you see what she did to you?" he asks, incredulous.

"What did she do?" Rory laughs, humorlessly, quietly. "She didn't push me off Blackie. She just said some stuff. She shouldn't have said it, but…"

"You know it wasn't true, right?" Logan asks, anxious.

"I know," she says quietly, in that voice she uses when trying to convince herself of something.

"It wasn't true," Logan repeats.

"I know," she says again, sounding surer this time.

"I'm still going to kill her," Logan vows.

"Good luck with that…" Rory says tiredly before falling asleep again.

Quietly, Logan sneaks out of the room.

He dials a number.

"Logan? Is there a reason you're calling yourself?" Lorelai asks as she picks up his home phone.

"I need your help. Can you go down the barn office and open the back filing cabinet and find Kirsten's number?"

Mystified, Lorelai does as requested.

Once he has the number, Logan plugs the digits into his cell phone.

"Hello?" a masculine voice answers.

"Hello? Are you Kirsten's boyfriend?" Logan asks.

"Jack. Yeah," the guy says.

"Well, I just thought I'd call you to tell you that your girlfriend has been cheating on you."

"Hey, man, who the hell are you?" Jack asks.

"Your new best friend," Logan says smoothly.

"How am I supposed to believe you?" Jack asks.

"Kirsten has a birthmark shaped like Mickey Mouse on her stomach and a tattoo of a mini foot on her right shoulder blade," Logan offers up as proof.

_Jack, baby, where are you?_ Logan hears a feminine voice say through the phone.

"I gotta go, man. Thanks," Jack says as the line goes dead.

Logan grins at his cell phone. Job well done.

Lorelai walks back into the hospital, dumping some bags on Rory's floor and waking Logan up, who is sleeping with his head bent over, so his hair is brushing the side of Rory's face.

"So… why did you call me for Kirsten's number?" Lorelei asks.

Logan takes a deep breath. "Kirsten was the one who upset Rory. So I decided to get my revenge. I'm sure Rory told you about what happened when we met and stuff?" Lorelai nods. "Well. I decided to tell Kirsten's boyfriend. He does deserve to know and everything. Plus, the look on Kirsten's face tomorrow is gonna be damn sweet." He chuckles.

Lorelai laughs too. "I never took you for the evil schemer, Huntzberger."

Just then Rory stirs. She opens her eyes.

"Hey, guys, what's up?" She asks, sleep still evident in her voice.

"Nothing, Ror, go back to sleep," Lorelai says, still laughing.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

"Please," Rory begs, "Pretty lease with a cherry and whipped cream and M&Ms and Reese's Pieces and…"

"No," Logan says, once again.

"But I wanna go down to the barn! I wanna see the horses!" Rory pleads desperately.

It has been two weeks since Rory got home from the hospital. Logan still hasn't let her wonder around outside the apartment.

"Rory, for the last time- you have a broken leg and a broken rib. You cannot go down to a horse barn."

"But I want to! Please, Logan, I'll even wear one of those leashes you but on little kids to make sure that they don't wander away! C'mon, please?"

Logan sighs. He can't resist her anything. "Where do you find those leashes?"

Rory swings herself into the barn, limping along on her crutches. On her left wrist is a rope, tied at the other end to Logan's right wrist.

"Uhm… Rory? Why are you ties to your boyfriend?" Lane asks.

"He wants to make sure I don't run away," Rory says.

Lane nods. "Riiiight…" and walks off.

"We're insane," Logan says exasperatedly.

"Welcome to the club, mister. We've been expecting you." Rory smiles slightly. "And now mom owes me twenty bucks!"

"What? Why?"

"We had a bet. I said it would take me less than a month from the day we moved in together for me to get you to do something crazy and Gilmore-ish. She said I wasn't crazy enough and it would take at least six months. I win!" she says.

Logan walks slowly as Rory limps down the aisle at his side. "Horses!" Rory yells, excited to see someone alive that isn't her mother or Logan.

Logan looks at his crazy girlfriend, but doesn't say anything.

Suddenly, a face Rory has come to loathe heads in their direction.

Kirsten has tear tracks on her face. She looks like crap.

"Did you tell him?" she asks Rory.

"What are you talking about?" Rory asks, very confused. Logan inwardly curses himself for not telling Rory what happened with Kirsten. He had been banking on having months, not two weeks.

"Jack! You told Logan I was cheating, did you tell Jack?"

"No," Rory says.

"Don't lie! I _know _you did. No one else knew!"

Logan raises an eyebrow. No one else? What about him?

"Kirsten, I didn't do anything," Rory says again, suspicions forming in her mind about who did.

"You lying bitch!" Kirsten says.

"That's enough," Logan puts an end to the conversation. "Kirsten, keep your voice down. There are kids and parents in the barn, and none of them need to hear that language, and neither does Rory."

Kirsten turns on him, comprehension dawning on her face. "You told him."

Logan just looks at her. Then he smirks. He pushes past Kirsten, Rory limping along at his side.

"_You told her boyfriend that you slept with her_?" Rory asks sharply once their out of earshot.

Logan shrugs, ready for the anger. "I had to do something."

She giggles. "You look like you think I'm going to hit you or something."

"Are you mad?"

She giggles some more. "I was kind of planning on doing the same thing."

Logan laughs. "But I told you I'd kill her. So I did."

Rory shakes her head. "Thank you."

Rory stops by Blackie's stall, around nine-ish. He's looking sad and underworked.

"Logan, Logan, he needs to be exercised."

Logan kisses her temple, "I know, Rory, but who will? You can't right now, Kirsten either can't or won't, and there's nobody else…"

"There's you," she whispers.

"Me?" he asks, surprised. Truthfully, he'd been staying away from Blackie, not wanting to take Rory's horse away from her.

"You," she nods. "Go tack up, Logan."


	19. Chapter 19

Note: Wow, almost twenty chapters

Note: Wow, almost twenty chapters. That means I'm closer and closer to being finished. (so sad.) Waa I don't want to be finished with this story.

I'm sorry that this is so short- Wednesday's are sucky days, so I just wrote something out quick. Maybe a better update tomorrow? I hope so.

I keep forgetting to put this up. Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls. Obviously. Otherwise season seven would not have gone the way it did. (And, if you really love the way season seven went, why are you reading this story? This is a Rogan just in case you couldn't tell, I had to point it out season seven definitely did not end a Rogan.)

Chapter Nineteen

Logan unties their wrists and goes off to get a saddle, leaving Rory leaning against Blackie's gate.

"Hey, baby," she whispers. "I miss you." Blackie rests the side of his face against hers.

"You miss me?" she asks quietly. "I wish you were my horse. Than I wouldn't have to miss you. Nothing would keep us apart if Kirsten was gone."

Logan returns with his tack and quickly brushes and tacks up Blackie.

He leads Blackie to the ring, and Rory leans on the rail.

"C'mon, baby," Rory whispers, not sure if she's talking to Logan or Blackie.

Logan pushes Blackie up to a trot. Blackie, excited to finally be worked, enthusiastically does as asked.

Up to a canter. Blackie pushes foreword like a race horse.

Logan and Blackie whiz by Rory. Suddenly, Blackie pulls up to a dead stop, nearly unseating Logan.

"He wants you," Logan says.

Rory longs to go to her baby, but doesn't. "Too bad," she says. "He has you."

Logan grimaces and pushes Blackie on.

Blackie ignores him for a moment, but eventually does as told.

Canter. Jump course. Logan pushes Blackie over them. Every time he passes her side of the rail, Blackie turns to look at her. But Logan pushes him on.

Eventually, Logan slows to a walk and heads towards Rory.

"Good boy," they both say at the same time, as they reach out to pet his side.

They laugh.

Logan swings off. He pets Blackie's side, and Blackie leans into him, like he used to do for Rory.

Rory smiles. She wants her camera. Her two favorite guys… so cute.

Logan untacks Blackie. He even deems it acceptable for Rory to hold a brush, and lets her brush him down.

They walk Blackie back to his pasture. Rory insists on coming, even though her limping is so slow. Both Blackie and Logan slow down for her.

They get to the pasture. Logan swings open the gate and unhooks the lead, letting Blackie go free, which he celebrates with a canter around the pasture.

Both Rory and Logan stop to stare at him for a moment. Majestic, beautiful… poetry in motion.

Logan shakes his head. "Your horse really is something special."

Rory smiles. "I don't think he's just my horse anymore."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Rory's proud of herself. It's been two months since she fell from Blackie, and now she's hobbling into the barn without her crutches and without assistance. Her cast is proving cumbersome, but she's working around it.

She peaks into the office door, which is open a slit. Good- Logan isn't in there. It's nine in the morning, and he thinks she's still sleeping. He would never let her hobble around the barn, alone, without her crutches.

Nearly ten minutes later, she walks into the main aisle. "Rory!" Lane shouts.

"Shush!" Rory scolds. Lane nods her head and puts a finger to her lips, miming quiet.

"You're walking!" Lane exclaims quietly.

"No, duh," Rory laughs. "Did you think I'd stay on crutches forever? I- Oh, crap! Hide me!" She ducks behind Lane, who looks confused, but does as told, throwing a horse blanket over Rory and standing in front of it.

"Uhm, hey, Lane," Logan says, distracted. "Do you know where Rory is? 'Cause I just went up to the apartment, and she wasn't there… but her crutches were."

Rory gasps slightly. Ohhhh, crap. She's in trouble.

"Nope, haven't seen her, sorry," Lane says, with a perfect poker face.

"Really? Logan asks, slightly amused. "Then why did the blanket behind you just gasp?"

"Uhm… It always does that," Lane invents wildly, "It's a special type of fabric."

"Uh-huh," Logan says.

He pulls the blanket off to reveal a Rory, crouching into the corner.

"Congratulations? You beat me at hide-and-seek?" Rory offers weakly.

"Rory! What am I going to do with you?" Logan asks, exasperated.

"Let me win at hide-and-seek occasionally?" she asks.

"Rory!"

"Sorry," she mutters.

"You're going to hurt yourself!" he says.

"No, I'm not! Spending anymore time in that apartment, unable to leave, is going to hurt me!"

Logan laughs a little; despite still being scared Rory would get hurt. "Sure, walk around the barn if you want. Just… let me walk with you, okay?"

"Overprotective fool," Rory teases.

So they limp around the barn, Logan protectively at Rory's side.

After a quick walk- around, during which Rory points out little things that need to be done and is constantly told off by Logan when she tries to do them herself, she makes an announcement. "I want to ride."

" No way," Logan says, trying to crush the thought out of her head before it grew any more.

"Logan, it's been two months since I got hurt. I should at least be able to sit on a pony and walk in a circle."

"No," Logan says, acting like there is the slightest chance that that was the end of the argument.

"Hey!" Rory shouts through the barn. "All of you, who think Logan is being an overprotective prick, say 'aye.'"

A chorus of 'ayes' rings through the barn.

Logan sighs. "Fine. But only if it's a fat, old pony, the kind that don't ever go faster than a walk, and I get to lead you."

Rory sighs. "Fine."

It feels like heaven to be on a horse again.


	21. Chapter 21

Note: Wanna hear the bad news?

Yeah, well, neither do I.

The bad news is, I believe that there is only like one more chapter after this one. (So sad, I know.) But, never fear, my faithful readers! I _might_ (emphasis on "might") be planning a sequel. Maybe. Possibly. If school doesn't kill me first.

Chapter Twenty-one

"So, I'm also set to ride again? And go back to work?" Rory asks the doctor who has just removed her cast.

"Oh, yes," he says, nodding. "You can go back to your normal routine."

Logan doesn't look convinced. The doctor notices. "Really, Mr. Huntzberger, she's fine."

Logan nods, accepting the truth.

"Can I go home now?" Rory asks, as she hops off of the table and, under her own power, walks out the door with only the slightest limp.

It's later, that night. Rory's walking around the barn, sighing from contentness. A full day of work, without any annoying interruptions from her cast or Logan telling her to take a break. The only thing she hasn't done yet is ride, really ride, but she intends to rectify that tonight, even if she has to sneak out of the apartment at three in the morning…

To her surprise, Logan walks up to her, arms loaded with horse tack. "Tack up," he orders.

"Who?" she asks, stupefied. That clearly isn't pony tack. In fact…

"Blackie," Logan says, smiling. "If you fall off, you have to get back on."

Rory squeals and kisses him, long and hard. "Thank you!" she says as she unloads the tack from his arms and walks off to her baby.

She leads Blackie into the ring, who's practically prancing from excitement to have his favorite rider back. Logan walks up.

"Be good to her," Rory hears him whisper to Blackie. "She's had it rough."

Rory leads Blackie over to the mounting block and jumps on. "'Kay, boy," she whispers. "You heard him. Let's put on a show."

Blackie bobs his head slightly in agreement, and, at Rory's gentle touch, takes off.

Logan watches from the rail. He's been riding Blackie a lot lately, but this isn't the same. This is in a whole other league. This is perfection, art, pure happiness.

He smiles as they round the corner and break into long, graceful strides of a canter, Blackie barely skimming the sand.

Rory pulls a slight turn and re-aims Blackie at a cross rail. They head straight at it, and, when they get there, Rory drops her reins and stretches her arms out, relying on her legs to hold her on. She looks like a bird, Logan muses. He can see it, too; a pretty little bird, reaching out, ready to fly.

They land, an airplane coming back to earth, and Rory picks her reins back up.

She cantered one more circle before slowing to a trot, then a walk.

"Yes!" she shouts, dropping her reins again and pumping her fist into the air. Then she leans forward, wrapping her arms around Blackie's neck.

Logan smiles and walks towards them.

When he's suddenly struck by an idea.


	22. Chapter 22

Note: The end. Done. Complete.

I love you all.

Chapter Twenty-two

Rory walks around the barn, finishing morning chores, fixing this and that, being her usual meticulous self.

Logan runs up behind her. "C'mon," he says as he takes her hand, dragging her away.

"Where are we going?" Rory asks, laughing.

"It's a surprise."

Logan pulls her up the hill to Blackie's pasture.

"Wanna ride?" he asks her, gesturing to the tack lying on the fence.

"I can't ride him! It's the middle of the day, and Kirsten is here!" Rory protests.

Logan laughs. "Not for long. She'll be leaving soon, and she won't be coming back."

"Why not?" Rory asks.

"Because she no longer owns a horse here," Logan explains.

Rory doesn't get it. "And the amazing creature standing before you is…" she asks, meaning Blackie.

Logan takes it the other way, though. "Insanely beautiful," he whispers, kissing her neck.

"Not me!" Rory exclaims. "Him! Blackie!"

"Oh, him," Logan says. "Well, he's not Kirsten's anymore."

"Really?" Rory asks, excited. "Do you think the new owner would let me ride Blackie again?"

Logan laughs again. "Oh, I think they'll be more than happy to let you ride."

"Really? Who are they?" Rory asks.

"You, Ror," Logan says. "You and me."

Rory gasps in shock. "You… bought us a horse?"

"Well, yeah," Logan says. "I was watching you two ride the other day, and saw how much you two love each other, and…"

"Logan," Rory says, shaking her head slowly. "I can't accept this. It's a huge gift."

"I can afford it," Logan says.

"But I never could," Rory points out, "Which makes Blackie a huge gift."

"He's not just yours…" Logan continues to list reasons.

"Exactly. Be should be all yours, because it's too big a gift."

"No, Ror, it's not," Logan says patiently. "Think of how much money this barn owes you. I mean, you used to ride Blackie for free. You trained him for free. You have the lowest paycheck in the entire barn, despite how much work you do and how many extra hours you put in… Besides, you can pay me back," he says, wiggling his eyebrows.

Rory laughs, and then leans in to kiss him. Their kiss gets deeper and deeper, and they lean against Blackie for support. Blackie huffs and, apparently displeased with his roll as support beam, walks off, leaving Rory and Logan to fall into the mud pile.

They break the kiss, laughing. Logan wipes some mud from Rory's face.

"So, you'll accept my gift?" Logan asks, breathless from their kiss.

Rory beams brightly. "My baby is finally my baby."

Logan stands up. Then he helps Rory to her feet, bringing her lips to his own.

This time, Blackie walks over to them, standing with the young couple.

The family is finally a family.

_THE END_


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